A DRIVER involved in a fatal collision that claimed the life of 84-year-old Phyllis Willis has been sentenced to two years and four months in prison.
Naeem Shahani, 39, from Sheppey Road, Dagenham, was also disqualified from driving for six years and four months and will be required to take an extended driving re-test. The sentencing took place at Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday, 28 November.
Shahani, employed by a company providing airport "meet and greet" parking services, was driving a customer’s Range Rover to Stansted Airport when the incident occurred on Parsonage Road, Takeley, at approximately 3:20 pm on 26 September 2022.
Shahani lost control of the vehicle on a bend, colliding with a Mitsubishi Shogun travelling in the opposite direction. The collision resulted in the death of Phyllis Willis, a front-seat passenger in the Mitsubishi, who died at the scene. The driver of the Mitsubishi sustained multiple injuries and spent nearly two weeks in hospital.
Following an investigation by Essex Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, Shahani was charged with causing death by dangerous driving and serious injury by dangerous driving. He denied the charges but was found guilty after a five-day trial on 25 October.
Detective Sergeant Sam Nason described the collision as "tragic", adding, "Today, my thoughts remain with Phyllis’s family and friends."
